These light and fluffy lemon blueberry muffins taste just as good—or better!—than any bakery version. Greek yogurt keeps them extra moist, creamed butter creates a wonderfully soft and fluffy texture, and blueberries and lemon add a burst of flavor. Sprinkle each muffin with a lemony-brown sugar crumb topping for a sweet finishing touch.
It’s no secret that I have a soft spot in my heart (err… stomach?) for the delightful flavor duo of lemon + blueberry. Desserts like lemon blueberry cheesecake bars and lemon blueberry tart are always a refreshing change from rich chocolate. But these light and fruity flavors also make for a wonderful breakfast treat or anytime snack, especially when topped with a zesty-sweet crumble that takes these humble muffins to new heights. They’re also a lovely choice for your Easter brunch recipes and add such a beautiful pop of color to your table!
Why You’ll Love These Lemon Blueberry Muffins
- Bursting with juicy blueberries and fresh lemon flavor
- Soft, tender, and cakey, like a muffin version of this popular lemon blueberry cake
- Easy to prepare
- Can use fresh or frozen blueberries—so convenient
- Topped with a delicious crumb, like your favorite bakery muffin
Ingredients You Need
Today’s lemon blueberry muffin recipe is a variation of my basic muffin recipe. I slightly reduced the butter because I found the muffins too fragile with the lemon juice and so many blueberries. (You’ll use the rest of the stick of butter in the topping!)
This batter can be used to create endless muffin varieties and you’ll see it again in my classic blueberry muffins, peach muffins, cranberry orange muffins, apple cinnamon muffins, and more.
Here are all of the ingredients you need for the muffin batter, and why each is important:
- Flour: All-purpose flour is the base of these muffins.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder: Both leaveners help the muffins rise. See my trick below for super-tall bakery-style muffin tops.
- Salt & Vanilla Extract: Salt and pure vanilla extract add flavor. Try using homemade vanilla extract.
- Butter: We use creamed butter for a lighter, fluffier texture. My orange lemon poppy seed muffins are made with melted butter for a denser, heartier texture.
- Sugar: In my muffin recipe, I swap between brown sugar and granulated sugar. I like to use granulated sugar in today’s muffins so the lemon flavor really shines, but like to use brown sugar in my blueberry muffins for a little extra flavor.
- Eggs: 2 eggs bind everything together.
- Yogurt: Greek yogurt adds moisture. Use your favorite yogurt—I prefer nonfat or low-fat plain Greek yogurt but regular (not Greek) would be just fine, and any fat content. Sour cream is a great substitute if you don’t have yogurt.
- Milk: You can use dairy or nondairy milk.
- Lemon Juice & Lemon Zest: We’re using both, for lots of zingy lemon flavor. Make sure to zest the lemon before slicing and juicing it—much easier to do it in this order!
- Blueberries: You can use fresh or frozen berries. If using frozen, do not thaw before using.
You could also add poppy seeds, like I do in these blackberry lemon poppy seed muffins.
You’ll need a couple mixing bowls and an electric mixer (either a stand mixer or handheld), because we’re creaming the butter and sugar together. From there, it’s as easy as combining dry ingredients in one bowl, and wet in another, and then mixing them together and folding in the blueberries.
Expect a thick and fluffy batter:
Easy Crumb Topping
Today’s crumb topping doesn’t have cinnamon, unlike many streusel recipes. It’s just brown sugary, lemony, and sweet. I love cinnamon in the crumb topping on these blueberry muffins, but here the cinnamon would take away from the zesty lemon in these muffins. And we want that lemon flavor to really shine through!
The crumb topping comes together quickly and easily in the small bowl—just use a fork to combine the melted butter, brown sugar, flour, and lemon zest.
It doesn’t make a large amount, just enough for a little crumble on top of each muffin. You can double it if you want extra crumb.
Baker’s Tip: Gently press the crumbles down into the muffins’ surface before baking, or they will topple off as the muffins rise in the oven.
How to Create the Perfect Tall Muffin Tops
For big bakery-style muffin tops, there are 3 directions to follow closely:
- Make sure your muffin batter is THICK. (This one is!)
- Fill your muffin cups all the way to the top.
- Bake the muffins for 5 minutes at an initial high temperature, then reduce the temperature for the remaining bake time. This initial high oven temperature quickly lifts up the muffin tops. Once the temperature is reduced, the centers of the muffins bake. I do this in all my muffin recipes, including zucchini muffins and banana muffins too!
Not only does this trick create beautifully sky-high muffin tops, it also makes the muffins extra fluffy inside because the tops don’t stay flat.
More Lemon Blueberry Treats
Lemon Blueberry Muffins
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 23 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 muffins
- Category: Muffins
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These light and fluffy lemon blueberry muffins taste just as good—or better!—than any bakery version. Greek yogurt keeps them extra moist, creamed butter creates a wonderfully soft and fluffy texture, and blueberries and lemon add a burst of flavor. The lemony-brown sugar crumb topping adds a sweet finishing touch, but feel free to skip it if desired.
Ingredients
- 1 and 3/4 cups (219g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120g) plain yogurt or sour cream, at room temperature*
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 Tablespoons (45ml) milk*
- 3 Tablespoons (45ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 and 1/2 cups (210g) fresh or frozen blueberries*
Crumb Topping
- 1/3 cup (41g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 Tablespoons (25g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- Make the muffins: Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the lemon zest and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the eggs, yogurt, and vanilla, and beat for 1 minute, then turn up to high speed until the mixture is combined and mostly creamy. (It’s ok if it appears somewhat curdled.) Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer running on low speed, add the dry ingredients, milk, and lemon juice into the wet ingredients and beat until no flour pockets remain. Gently fold in the blueberries. Avoid over-mixing. Batter is thick and fluffy.
- Spoon the batter into prepared muffin cups, filling them all the way to the top.
- Make the crumb topping: In a small bowl, use a fork to mix all of the crumb topping ingredients together.
- Spoon topping evenly on top of each filled muffin cup, gently pressing it down onto the surface so it sticks. Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F, then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Bake for an additional 18–19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total time these muffins take in the oven is about 23–24 minutes, give or take.
- Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling. Enjoy warm, or at room temperature.
- Muffins stay fresh covered at room temperature for a few days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Freeze baked & cooled muffins for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature before enjoying. Warm up in the microwave if desired.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-Count Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Citrus Zester | Citrus Juicer | Glass Mixing Bowls | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand Mixer)
- Yogurt: You can use nonfat or low-fat plain yogurt, Greek or regular. You can also use sour cream.
- Milk: You can use any milk, dairy or nondairy.
- Blueberries: If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw.
- For a jumbo muffin pan: 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce to 350°F for 22–25 minutes for a total of 27–30 minutes. Makes about 6. For mini muffins: 350°F (whole time) for 12–14 minutes. Makes about 36–40.
Keywords: lemon blueberry muffins
These were absolutely delicious. Pretty perfect as they are, but I was thinking about adding a bit of lemon extract to add to the flavor. Do you think 1/2 tsp would work or not a good idea?
Yes, absolutely!
Mouthwatering! They are so light, and the lemon enhances the flavor so much. I too will double the topping recipe the next time. This has become my favorite blueberry muffin recipe.
★★★★★
These were excellent. They delivered on the lemon flavor as promised. I made them jumbo size, The crumb topping stuck perfectly, I will definitely make them again. Plus they were just as delicious on the second and third day!
★★★★★
These were the best muffins I ever made! they were light, fluffy and rose perfectly. I will definitely make these again.
★★★★★
Thank you so much for this recipe! With each bite, its the burst of blueberry followed by the lemon tang. Sooo good.
★★★★★
Your directions when adding ingredients don’t include the 3 tablespoons of milk
Hi Cheryl, see step 4. Happy baking!
I made these today for a family brunch. I followed the directions explicitly—room temperature ingredients, measured and leveled dry ingredients, frozen (homegrown, large) blueberries, sprayed my muffin pan with Baker’s Joy, cooked at high temp then lowered, etc. On a positive note, they tasted good, but they looked like a hot mess. The topping was not crumbly; it was like cookie dough and I had to scoop it on there and kind of press it down. The muffins did not rise; they spilled over the side of the wells of the pan and stuck to it, and worst of all, the blueberries all sank to the bottom of the muffins and were a gooey mess that partially stuck to the pan. The only thing I can think of that would be different is that I used my very well seasoned Pampered Chef stoneware muffin pan rather than a metal one. But I have made muffins in it for years without this happening, so I am at a loss as to what I did wrong. Out of 7 people who had them on their plate, 4 did not eat all of theirs and threw them away and that was disappointing.
★★★★
Hi Daphne, I’m so sorry to hear that! I’d love to try to help troubleshoot, because that is definitely not the outcome you should have had. With regards to the topping, did you make it right before using, or did it sit for a while before you added it to the muffins? Just wondering if maybe the butter solidified too much, making it harder to press it on top? If you try it again, I would suggest using cupcake liners, to prevent them from sticking. Did you let them cool in the pan for about 5-10 minutes before you transferred them out of the pan?
Another excellent recipe from Sally. Great reviews from all my kids. Can I double the recipe? I only had enough batter for 9 muffins.
★★★★★
Hi Robert, for best results and to prevent over mixing, we recommend making two separate batches.
Just like everyone of Sally’s recipes this one is fantastic, absolutely loved these muffins!!! Give this a try you will not be disappointed
★★★★★
Love the updated version! Made them last night and they are so fluffy and and so good! Thank you Sally!
★★★★★
Delish! We enjoyed the flavor and texture
★★★★★
These muffins are fabulous!! Love the blueberry flavour popping throughout.
We really enjoyed these muffins (used frozen blueberries)! Thank you for another great recipe!
★★★★★
Another lovely recipe! Thanks Sally. Perfect for afternoon tea. I just made these; next time I will double the streusel topping, it so delish! It could be the way I mixed the batter but I did end up with 12 high muffins and an extra one baked along with the others. No one is complaining about a baker’s dozen .
★★★★★
Easy and economical as I keep all those ingredients on hand.
★★★★★
My husband, who strongly believes that all baked goods must include chocolate, said these are the best muffins I’ve ever made. And I agree. They’ll definitely be a staple in my baking rotation from here on out. I took off one star because the crumble topping seems to disappear while baking. I’m not sure why- it’s not something I’ve had happened before. Either way, these delightful muffins are worth the time to bake.
★★★★
This is a great recipe! My muffins smell amazing! The two issues I had 1) my batter wasn’t as thick, which made my muffin tops spread. I’m wondering if I needed more flour. 2) my crumble topping just melted into the batter. Not sure I messed that up!
★★★★★
Sally, maybe a stupid question, but I will ask anyway. You say we can use the cupcake liners or just spray the muffin pan. In your illustration you used the liners, is that your preferred method, if I decide to not use liners, should I still fill to the top of the pan? What’s your thoughts?
Hi Mike, either way works just fine. Yes, always fill up to the top if it says to. We usually like to use liners for easier clean up.
can you make a blueberry loaf with this same recipe
Hi Beverly, that should work just fine! You can use the baking time and directions from blueberry muffin bread as a guide. Do let us know how it turns out for you. Hope you enjoy these flavors together!
Great recipe! I liked the crumb topping. I used frozen blueberries. The oven trick worked – these muffins got sky high!
★★★★★
Can you take this recipe and make it in a bread pan – like banana bread instead of cupcakes
Hi Gusta, that should work just fine! You can use the baking time and directions from blueberry muffin bread as a guide. Do let us know how it turns out for you. Hope you enjoy these flavors together!
Sally I love your recipes and how you can read my mind lol. You seem to know every time I’m going to question something and have already answered it. These came out so goooooood
So glad you enjoyed the muffins, Judy!
These muffins are both beautiful and tasty. My batter was thick and I used fresh blueberries. The strudel stayed on top and the muffins rose beautifully. I thought mine were slightly dry but I noticed no one complained. Good recipe.
★★★★★
Hi Sally, these were yummy!! Can you make the batter the night before and then pop in the oven in the morning?
Hi Michelle, we don’t recommend that. The leaveners are activated once mixed with the wet ingredients, so it’s best to make the batter right away. So glad they were a hit, Michelle!
I Love your Lemon Blueberry Muffins it’s so yummy good
★★★★★
I made this recipe and followed the directions exactly and everything turned out well except that my blueberries leaked and the muffins are a dark blue/purple in color. Next time I will probably use less blueberries. These taste fresh and very spring like so I will definitely make these again but will just adjust the amount of berries that I use.
★★★★
How would you adjust this recipe for mini muffins? I need to make an assortment of mini muffins for a board meeting and think this would be a nice addition.
Hi Debbie, see recipe Note for mini muffins.
Can this be baked in a 9 x 12 pan?
Hi Janet, likely not. I recommend a 9-inch square pan or 9-inch springform pan. I’m unsure of the best bake time.
nonfat or low-fat plain Greek yogurt, but regular (not Greek; any fat content)
greek or not greek. this statement is strange
Hi Chef Katie, you can use nonfat or low-fat plain yogurt, Greek or regular.
Can I use lemon yogurt in place of the plain yogurt in these muffins?
Absolutely!
This recipe sounds divine! I can’t wait to try it!
Terrific recipe! Delicious moist muffins!
★★★★★
Made this tonight and followed recipe exactly, they turned out perfectly!!! Moist with lemon and the pop of fresh blueberries. My blueberries sunk so I might coat them in flour next time? But honestly that is such a minor thing!
★★★★★
You need to put the nutritional value on your recipies. Most people need to know how many calories they are eating.
Thank you for your feedback, Theresa. Some people do, and some people don’t. We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
This is so rude lol. Calculate the calories yourself! Anyone counting calories for diet reasons is probably going to avoid sugary buttery muffins in the first place!
★★★★★